THE public has been warned to “use services wisely” as the NHS faces the “most disruptive strike” in its history this week.
Junior doctors walk out for four days from tomorrow over their pay row.
PAThe public has been warned to ‘use services wisely’ as junior doctors go on strike[/caption]
It comes as a poll released yesterday claimed one in three ambulance callers took themselves to hospital due to long waits last year.
And now, with hundreds of thousands of appointments set to be axed, people are being asked to use their judgement on trying to get medical aid.
Sir Stephen Powis, the National Medical Director of NHS England, said “services will be fragile this week — we will see a lot of disruption”.
He told Times Radio: “We are asking the public to think twice before you go [to A&E].
“We’ll be prioritising emergency services, maternity care and critical care.”
He added: “For all other conditions then really use services wisely”. The Sun understands ministers have been told by unions junior doctors will return to work if there is a terror attack or crisis.
Yesterday’s findings from a Lib Dem survey on ambulance waits found 34 per cent of people ended up making their own way to A&E.
The health department said: “We do not recognise these figures.
“We are working hard to improve ambulance response times which have substantially reduced from the peak of winter pressures.”